International relations
Programmes coordinated by the ECDC and WHO or by other international organizations

(1) TESSy - The European Surveillance System (legal successor of Basic Surveillance Network - BSN 28)

International coordinating institute: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (Stockholm, Sweden)
Planned duration: 2007- continuous
Coordinators of NCE: Dr. Zsuzsanna Molnár, Specialist, Counsellor; Andrásné Szilágyi, Public Health Controller
Topic: Hungarian monitoring of cases of communicable diseases reported to ECDC.
Tasks: monthly reporting of data on certain diseases. In 2009, the ECDC organized two trainings (STI and influenza) on new disease/disease groups reported for TESSy. In 2009, the quarterly and annual (2008) zoonoses data, annual (2007) data on infectious patients, and STI data between 1990 and 2008 were reported.

(2) ECDC annual report

Hungarian data on mandatory notifiable communicable diseases were uploaded in the TESSy system and controlled prior publication. The ECDC Annual Report for 2007 was published on the following web-site in October 2009:
http://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publictions/
0910_SUR_Annual_Epidemiological_Report_on_Communicable_Diseases_in_Europe.pdf

Coordinator of NCE: Dr. Ágnes Csohán, Head of Department
Collaborators: Dr. Mária Dudás, Specialist; Dr. Judit Krisztina Horváth, Specialist; Dr. Katalin Krisztalovics, Specialist, Counsellor; Dr. Zsuzsanna Molnár, Specialist, Counsellor; Andrásné Szilágyi, Public Health Controller

(3) IBI Invasive Bacterial Infections

International coordinating institute: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (Stockholm, Sweden)
Planned duration: 2008- continuos
Coordinator of NCE: Dr. Judit Krisztina Horváth, Specialist; Ákos Tóth, Microbiologist, Counsellor
Tasks: Collection of unified microbiological (typing, antibiotic-sensitivity) and epidemiological data on Meningococcus and Haemophylus influenzae b, Pneumococcus serotypes causing invasive diseases; harmonization of applied methods in reference laboratories for quality aaurance of these activities.
The network requests data from Hungary annually about the regsitered meningococcus and H. influenzae b invasive cases.
Data on registered cases in 2008 were forwarded to TESSy data base.

(4) EISS: European Influenza Surveillance Scheme

International coordinating institute: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (Stockholm, Sweden)
Planned duration: 2008- continuous
Coordinators of NCE: Dr. Ágnes Csohán, Head of Department; Mónika Rózsa, Microbiologist specialist; Katalin Kaszás, Public Health Controller
Topic: operation of seasonal influenza surveillance.
Tasks: weekly reporting of clinical and virological data on Hungarian influenza-like cases.

In the influenza season of 2009/2010, clinical and virological data on Hungarian influenza-like cases were submitted during 32 weeks. The Hungarian professionals received continuous information about the European situation. For the influenza pandemic, inter-seasonal surveillance data (weeks 21-39 in 2009) were recorded in the TESSy data basis developed by ECDC.
In the season of 2009/2010, the sphere of recorded data increased with the data on pandemic influenza (confirmed cases and death cases by age groups). The method and dead line for reporting were the same as in the previous seasons, namely, web-based reports were sent both on clinical and virological data.

(5) FWD Network Food and Waterborne Disease network

International coordinating institute: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (Stockholm, Sweden)
Planned duration: continuous
Coordinator of NCE: Dr. Katalin Krisztalovics, Head Physician, Counsellor; Dr. Noémi Nógrády, Ph.D. Biologist; Dr. Mária Herpay, Head of Department; Dr. Horváth Judit Krisztina, Specialist
Topic: Surveillance coordination of enteral infectious diseases, development of unified data base, and professional support for professionals in field.
Tasks: the goal of the organisation to fill up the data base built on unified aspects with selected data, provision of professional support for a laboratory network in EU level with the help of regular comparative tests between laboratories coordinated by ECDC. The organisation has one epidemiologist and one microbiologist member from every country.

(6) PPS: Point Prevalence Survey of Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimicrobial Use in European Acute Care Hospitals

International coordinating institute: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden
Planned duration: 2009-2011
Coordinator of NCE: Dr. Karolina Böröcz, Head of Department
Topic: Point-prevalence survey.
Tasks: Performing studies on the basis of determined views and furnishing of data.

(7) ENIVD: European Network of Imported Viral Diseases

International coordinating institute: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (Stockholm, Sweden)
Planned duration: From 2003
Coordinator of NCE: Dr. Ildikó Visontai, Deputy Director-General
Topic: Within the frame of the project to provide the diagnostic background for imported diseases, together with the participating Institutes at the tender invited by ECDC they won with the application of European network of laboratories for outbreak assistance and support.
Within the frame of collaboration, the partners have continuously provided information about the occurrence of imported viral diseases, the possibility of their detection by available diagnostic methods; they provide a diagnostic background if needed. The field of further collaboration the following areas are covered: the training for good laboratory practice and the planning and implementation of testing under BSL conditions, and participation in virus diagnostic collaborative studies ensuring the quality control of testing organised within the project.
Tasks: The current cases, tests, diagnostic opportunities and results were presented at the annual meeting of the European Network for Diagnostics of "Imported" Viral Diseases (ENIVD), Prague. NCE continues to take part in the collaborative studies organised by ENIVD and in the ENIVD-CLRN activity supported by ECDC in which the NCE denotes if a case of imported viral disease was diagnosed by the reference laboratory.

(8) NMFP: National Microbiological Focal Point

International coordinating institute: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (Stockholm, Sweden)
Planned duration: From 2007
Coordinator of NCE: Dr. Ildikó Visontai, Deputy Director-General
Topic: Upon the appointment of the Ministry of Health and together with the national authorities, support has been provided for the ECDC in the field of definition and implementation of microbiological activities. Within the frame of collaboration, the questionnaire on the activity of reference laboratories was prepared, and the filled out form was forwarded to ECDC.
Tasks: The working groups including the representatives of Member States worked on the definition of public health, epidemiological microbiological activities and the basic tasks and evaluation criteria of reference laboratories. Further task was to elaborate the proposals for microbiological laboratories of the Annual Work Plan of ECDC in 2010 with a focus on the microbiological activity of disease-specific networks. Materials related to this work were published on the home-page of NCE.

(9) VENICE - Vaccine European New Integrated Collaborative Effort International coordinating institutes: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (Stockholm, Sweden), Instituto Superiore di Sanit, (Rome, Italy)

Planned duration: 2009-2010
Coordinator of NCE: Dr. Zsuzsanna Molnár, Specialist, Counsellor
Topic: vaccines European collaboration
Tasks: Development of European vaccine surveillance. The work started in 2006 has been continued under the title of Venice II since December 23, 2008 with the development of WP 5.
In 2009, four web-based questionnaires on vaccines/vaccination programmes against HPV, hepatitis B, seasonal influenza and tick-borne encephalitis were filled out. The summary of questionnaires are presented in scientific publications and conferences.

(10) ECDC Influenza Monitoring Vaccine Effectiveness Project (I-MOVE)

International coordinating institute: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (Stockholm, Sweden)
Planned duration: 2009-2010
Coordinators of NCE: Dr. Ágnes Csohán, Head of Department; Dr. Beatrix Oroszi , Specialist; Dr. Zsuzsanna Molnár, Specialist; Dr. Judit Krisztina Horváth, Specialist; Mónika Rózsa, Head of Laboratory; Katalin Kaszás, Public Health Controller
Topic: Determination of efficiency of influenza vaccinations at the age group < 18 years in Hungary, 2009/2010 influenza season. 87 family doctors participated in the national study with the supervision of 19 regional coordinators.
In the analysis, the chances for developing influenza in vaccinated and non-vaccinated persons against influenza are compared, and from this, the efficiency of vaccination is defined for the given season.
Tasks: Data on new cases of influenza infection are recorded and forwarded to the European influenza data basis. The coordinator participated at the ECDC-TESSy annual meeting, Stockholm, June 2-5, 2009.

(11) ECDC Country inventory and activities support

International coordinating institute: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (Stockholm, Sweden)
Planned duration: 2008-2009
Leader of Project: Dr. Ágnes Csohán, Head of Department
Coordinator: Dr. Judit Krisztina Horváth, Specialist
Topic: Regular updating of the public health and epidemiological data basis of ECDC. Monthly provision of accurate, up-to-date for ECDC about the NPHMOS activity on communicable diseases; assistance for the translation and distribution of ECDC publications.

(12) WHO - Global eradication of poliomyelitis

International coordinating institute: WHO Regional Office for Europe (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Planned duration: 1998-2010.
Coordinator of NCE: Dr. Ágnes Csohán, Head of Department
Collaborators: Katalin Kaszás, Public Health
Controller: dr. Zsuzsanna Molnár, Specialist, Counsellor
Topic: Acute flaccid paralysis surveillance.
Tasks: Weekly, case-based online reporting.

(13) Global elimination of measles
Eliminating measles and rubella, and preventing congenital rubella infection

International coordinating institute: WHO Regional Office for Europe (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Planned duration: 2005-2010.
Coordinator of NCE: Dr. Zsuzsanna Molnár, Specialist, Counsellor
Topic: Follow-up of measles and rubella cases in Hungary
Tasks: Monthly reporting of single measles cases and aggregated rubella data, monitoring of epidemiological situation for both diseases

(14) EIW European Immunization Week

International coordinating institute: WHO Regional Office for Europe (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Planned duration: 20-26. April 2009.
Coordinator of NCE: Dr. Zsuzsanna Molnár, Specialist, Counsellor
Topic: vaccines
Tasks: communication of importance and need of vaccines. Regarding the favourable national epidemiological situation and the high coverage rate of vaccination related to age, the main national goal was to preserve these achievements.

(15) IHR - International Health Regulations

International coordinating institute: WHO Regional Office for Europe (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Planned duration: Continuos since the effectiveness of revised International Health Regulations (IHR), 15 June 2007.
Coordinator of NCE (IHR focal point): Dr. Ágnes Csohán, Head of Department
Topic: epidemiological threats with international aspects
Tasks: response to threats, proposal for measures, reporting. In accordance with the new regulation the duty of reporting covers the event of bioterrorism, chemical, nuclear and laboratory catastrophes in addtion to infectious diseases.
According to the internal regulations of NCE Department of Epidemiology the designated graduates of the Department control, evaluate and qualify the received information daily.

(16) UNAIDS - Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS

International coordinating institute: WHO (Geneva, Switzerland)
Coordinator of NCE: Dr. Mária Dudás, Specialist
Tasks: Annual data service about the situation of HIV/AIDS surveillance. Estimations, models made in the field of HIV/AIDS are forwarded to the UNAIDS Office with EPP and Spectrum soft wares in every year.

(17) European Zoonoses Report

International coordinating institute: European Food Safety Authority (Parma, Italy)
Planned duration: 2005- continuous
Coordinator of NCE: Dr. Katalin Krisztalovics, Specialist, Counsellor
Topic: Data collection about zoonoses and their pathogens
Tasks: The Directive EU 2003/99/EK (about monitoring of zoonoses and their pathogens) requires it from the MSs. Human data of year 2008 were forwarded to European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) through ECDC.
The European Summary Report was published on the EFSA homepage in December 2009.
(http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/scdocs/scdoc/1496.htm)

(18) EWRS - Early Warning and Response System

International coordinating institute: European Committee (Brussels, Belgium)
Planned duration: 2004- continuous
Coordinator of NCE (EWRS focal point): Dr. Ágnes Csohán, Head of Department
Deputies:  Dr. Katalin Krisztalovics, Counsellor; Dr. Judit Krisztina Horváth, Specialist
Topic: Epidemiological risk of international aspects
Tasks: Response to danger, proposal to measures, reporting. According to the internal regulation of Department of Epidemiology the appointed graduates of the Department control, evaluate and classify the received messages daily.
In 2009, 501 messages were entered at the publicly accessed part of the homepage, and they received 848 comments. 444 from the 501 messages (88.6%) covered the topic of pandemic influenza. The pandemic started at the end of April determined the communication of the EU. The further 31 topics occurred on 1-4 occasions (in highest number (4): tuberculosis, legionellosis, viral haemorrhagic fever, and in three times: encephalitis, meningitis, measles).

(19) REACT: Response to Emerging Infectious Disease: Assessment and Development of Core Capacities and Tools

International coordinating institute: Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Germany
Planned duration: From 2008
Coordinator of NCE: Dr. Andrea Kurcz, Specialist, Counsellor
Topic: Prevention of healthcare workers infections.
Tasks: Making a survey among healthcare workers (interviews with physicians and professional workers) and furnishing of data.

(20) EWGLINET: European Surveillance Scheme for Travel Associated Legionnaries Disease  EWGLI: European Working Group for Legionella Infections

International coordinating institute: Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections (London, United Kingdom)
Planned duration: 2004-2010.
Coordinators of NCE: Dr. Judit Krisztina Horváth, Specialist; Csaba Bognár, Bacteriologist, Head of Laboratory; Katalin Kaszás, Public Health Inspector
Topic: Data collection on legionnaries disease related to travels.
Tasks: Case reported data about this disease.

(21) EUROCJD: European and Associated Countries Collaborative CJD Network

International coordinating institute: National CJD Surveillance Unit (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Planned duration: May 2008 - May 2011
Coordinator of NCE: Dr. Zsuzsanna Molnár, Specialist, Counsellor
Topic: Data collection on cases of Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease.
Tasks:In 2009, the possibilities of identification of secondary transmission by transfusion and plasma derivates and of prevention of spread were stressed. For this reason, the review of regulators (guides, methodological letters, etc.) in the Member States has started.

(22) FLUSECURE: Participation in the pre-clinical and clinical evaluation of efficiency of influenza vaccine.

International coordinating institute: Nederlands Vaccin Instituut (Bilthoven, Netherlands)
Planned duration:  2006-2010
Coordinator of NCE: Dr. Ildikó Visontai, Deputy Director-General
Topic: Development of vaccine efficiency. Target: improvement of immuno-genecity of the current influenza vaccine with the use of adjuvant system, the development of optimal vaccination strategy with the long B- and T-cells reactions with the use of simple vaccination schedule. Within the international project, NCE participates in the working group making the pre-clinical and clinical evaluation of the influenza vaccine efficiency. The aim of the pre-clinical evaluation: from the individual seed antigen types, the vaccine production in small quantity makes possible to perform animal testing of safety and cross-immunity.   The aim of clinical evaluation: development of European network of Public Health Institutes as a contribution to Public Private Partnership (PPP). This has increased the pandemic influenza preparedness strengthening the efforts of vaccine industry for the influenza pandemic; decreasing the burden by the management and coordination of clinical trials, and the evaluation of pandemic vaccine in use with the building-out of a multi-centred clinical testing network and post-marketing surveillance system.
Tasks: Following the common decision of working groups of pre-clinical and clinical evaluation, NCE initiated a clinical testing in Hungary, 2009 to perform the comparison of the trivalent influenza vaccine containing three different 15 g haemagglutinin/strain/dose antigens.

(23) EUVAC.NET - Surveillance Community Network for Vaccine-preventable Infectious Diseases Working Group Centre

International coordinating institute: Statens Serum Institut, (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Planned duration: 2009-2011
Coordinator of NCE: Dr. Márta Melles, Director-General; Dr. Zsuzsanna Molnár, Specialist, Counsellor
Topic: surveillance community network for vaccine preventable infectious diseases.
Tasks: Data collection on measles, rubella, congenital rubella syndrome, pertussis, mumps and varicella from vaccine preventable diseases, and sending of monthly case- based report of measles.In 2009, three summary reports were published on the web-site: data of measles and rubella surveillance in 2008 and of pertussis surveillance in years 2003-2007.

(24) The HALT project Surveillance of Healthcare Associated infections and related practices in European Long -Term care facilities

International coordinating institute: HALT Coordination Office Laboratoire dÉpidemiologie et de santé Publique, Lyon, France, Agenzia Sanitaria e Sociale Regionale, Bologna, Italy, Health Protection Agency, London, United Kingdom, Institut Scientifique de Santé Publique, Brussels, Belgium, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden.
Planned duration: 2009-2010
Coordinator of NCE: Rita Szabó, Graduate Nurse
Topic: Hungarian research coordination and furnishing of data.

(25) EARSS/SeqNet.org. - European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System. European Network of Laboratories for Sequence Based Typing of Microbial Pathogens

International coordinating institute: Centre for Infectious Diseases Epidemiology (CIE), Netherlands Institute for Public Health and the Environment (Bilthoven, Netherlands)
Planned duration: 2006- continuous.
Coordinator of NCE: Erika Ungvári, Biologist
Tasks: participation in the EARSS/SeqNet. org study Identification of Staphylococcus aureus  strains causing the most frequent invasive infections in Europe with the aim to detect the prevalence and European, national and local spread of S. aureus clones with high public health significance.

(26) EARSS European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System.

International coordinating institute: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (Bilthoven, Netherlands)
Planned duration: continuous
Coordinator of NCE: Ákos Tóth, Microbiologist
Tasks: Test of antimicrobial sensitivity. Sensitivity data for testing of resistance of pathogens originated from invasive infections have been submitted to the European Surveillance since 2001.

(27) Special survey for Neisseria meningitidis identification and typing

International coordinating institute: United Kingdom National External Quality Assessment Service (London, United Kingdom) and the Meningococcal Reference Unit (Manchester, United Kingdom)
Planned duration: continuous
Coordinator of NCE: Ákos Tóth, Mikrobiologist
Tasks: identification and sero-typing of Neisseria meningitidis with pheno- and genotyping methods.

(28) European Commission Directorate-General Environment Directorate B

International coordinating institute: European Commission Directorate-General Environment Directorate B Protecting the Natural Environment ENV.B.3. - Biotechnology, Pesticides & Health (Brussels, Belgium)
Planned duration: 2003- continuous
Coordinator of NCE: Dr. Márta Milassin, Head of Department
Collaborators: Réka Kovács, Biocid Coordinator; Dr. Krisztina Soproni, Biocid Coordinator; Anikó Rácz, Biologist
Tasks: EU revision, coordination of biocid agents belonging to product types 1.2. and 3 of main group I nominated in Annex 5 of Biocid Decree. Regular participation at national and international scientific meetings, workshops.

(29) ETIDE European Training in Infectious Disease Emergencies

International coordinating institute: National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Lazarro Spallanzani (Rome, Italy) and Health Protection Agency (Porton Down, United Kingdom)
Planned duration: 2008- continuous.
Coordinators of NCE: Dr. Emese Szilágyi, Specialist, Counsellor; Dr. Beatrix Oroszi, Specialist; Dr. Mária Herpay, Head of Department
Topic: Preparation for the prevention of infections caused by dangerous microorganisms, potentially bioterrorism agent.
Tasks: Preparation of training materials, organisation and keeping of theoretical and practical trainings.

Collaboration with international institutes

(1) Microbiological Research Group

Institute: Department of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene of University of Regensburg (Regensburg, Germany).
Planned duration: 2003-2009.
Leader: Dr. med. habil. János Minárovits D.Sc., Head of Department
Topic: They have reviewed data on the relation of Epstein-Barr virus and auotoimmune diseases.
Institute: University Hospital for Infectious Diseases, (Zagreb, Croatia).
Planned duration: 2007-2009.
Leader: Mária Mezei, Microbiologist, Katalin Balogh, Microbiologist
Topic: They have continued the genetic analysis of subtypes of strains HIV-1 carried by HIV infected persons and AIDS patients in Croatia

(2) 2nd Department of Bacteriology

Institute: Netherlands Vaccine Institute (Netherlands), Health Protection Agency (London, United Kingdom), Norwegian Institute of Public Health (Oslo, Norway), Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control (Stockholm, Sweden), Statens Serum Institute (Copenhagen, Denmark), Paul Ehrlich Institute (Germany), Novartis S.r.I. (Italy), Institutio de Biologica Experimental Technologica (Lisbon, Portugal), National Institute of Public Health (Warsaw, Poland)
Planned duration: 2008-2009.
Leader: Dr. Mária Herpay, Head of Department
Topic: Laboratory diagnostics of dangerous pathogenic bacteria, participation in preparation of measures for treatment of patients and control of spread of infections. Stressed pathogenic bacteria: Bacillus anthracis, Vibrio cholerae, Yersinia spp., Shigella spp., EHEC (STEC/VTEC), Shiga toxins, cholera enterotoxin.
Institute: Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control (Solna, Sweden); Oesterreichische Agentur fuer Gesundheit und Ernaehrungssicherheit GmbH, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety AGES (Vienna, Austria), Centrum Voor Onderzoek in Diergeneesskunde en Agrochemie Centre (Brussel, Belgium), Friedrich-Loeffler Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health (Insel Riems Greiswald, Germany), Istituto Superiore di Sanité (Rome, Italy), Health Protection Agency (Porton Down, England), National Institute for Health Welfare (Helsinki, Finland), National and Kapodistrian University of Athen (Athen, Greece), National Public Health Surveillance Laboratory (Vilnius, Lithuania), Norwegian Institute of Public Health (Oslo, Norway), National Institute of Hygiene (Warsaw, Poland), Basque Foundation for Health Innovation and Research, (Sondika, Spain), National Institute for Public Health and Enviroment (Bilthoven, Netherlands), Intituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e della Basilicata (Foggia, Italy) National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (Sofia, Bulgaria)
Planned duration: 2008-2010.
Leader: Dr. Mária Herpay, Head of Department
Topic: Diagnostics of dangerous pathogenic bacteria (Bacillus anthracis, Francisella spp., Brucella spp., Yersinia pestis, Burkholderia mallei, B. pseudomallei, Coxiella burnetii)

 (3) Department of Parasitology

 Institute: Servicio de Parasitologia Centro Nacional de Microbiologia Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Madrid, Spain).
Planned duration: 2005- continuous
Leader: Dr. István Kucsera, Acting Head of Department
Topic: Zoonotic protozoons (Toxoplasma gondii, Giardia duodenali) and their human and animal incidence; molecular biological and immunological featuring with a priority of laboratory diagnostic and epidemiological aspects. Molecular biological characterization of malaria
See detailed description in topics III.2.1. and III.2.2.
Institute: Medical University, Department of Medical Parasitology, Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical medicine (Vienna, Austria)
Planned duration: 2009-2010.
Leader: Dr.István Kucsera, Head of Department
Topic: Incidence of zoonotic nematode   Dirofilaria repens in humans and animals and  the biological, immunological and morphological characterisation of the worm with a focus on laboratory diagnostic and epidemiological aspects.
Detailed description in topic III.2.4.

 (4) Department of Phage Typing and Molecular Epidemiology

• Institute: Robert Koch Institut (Wernigerode Branch, Germany)
  Planned duration: 2009-2010
  Leader: Dr. Noémi Nógrády, Ph.D., Biologist
  Topic: Investigation of Salmonella strains. They participate in development of international S. Infantis phage typing method with the mutual investigation of strains.
• Institute: Centre for Infectious Diseases Epidemiology (CIE), Netherlands Institute for Public Health and the Environment (Bilthoven, Hollandia)
  Planned duration: 2006- continuous
  Leader: Erika Ungváry, Biologist
  Topic Identification of Staphylococcus aureus strains causing the highest incidence of invasive infections in Europe.

 (5) Department for QC of Viral Vaccines

Institute: Scientific Institute of Public Health (Brussels, Belgium).
Planned duration: continuous
Leader: Dr. Zsuzsanna Pauliny, Head of Department
Topic: Within the frame of the collaboration agreement the Belgian authority performs the tests being under validation at the Department.

(6) Department for QC of Bacterial Vaccines

International coordinating institute: WHO Access to Technologies (ATT), Vaccines and Biologicals (Geneva, Switzerland).
Planned duration: continuous
Coordinators of NCE: Dr. Zsuzsanna Békési, Head of Department
Topic: Based on the contract between NCE and WHO, the tetanus efficiency of vaccines with various compositions was determined, and they participated at the annual meeting of EU EDQM responsible for drug quality (Vienna, Austria).

National Centres established in NCE and participating in international programmes

(1) Department for QC of Bacterial Vaccines

EU European Directorate for Quality of Medicines (EDQM), Official Medicines Control Laboratories (OMCL-Network) National Control Laboratory
Leader: Teodóra Szalkai, Biologist (blood products); Bartháné Dr. Zsuzsa Hompó, Specialized Pharmacist (vaccines with       bacterial antigen)
They acted as authority Control Laboratory of Immunbiological Products in the field of bacterial vaccines and blood products. They joined the OMCL Network, directed by European Directorate for Quality of Medicines (EDQM) and perform Official Control Authority Batch Release (OCABR) activity as member of the Network. Within its frame they have relation with the similar Institutes in EU MSs and participated in international methodological developments and standardizations of tests.

(2) Department for QC of Viral Vaccines

EU European Directorate for Quality of Medicines (EDQM), Official Medicines Control Laboratories (OMCL-Network) National Control Laboratory
Leader: Dr. Zsuzsanna Pauliny, Head of Department
They acted as authority Control Laboratory of Immunbiological Products in the field of viral vaccines.

(3) REITOX National Focal Point

Leader: Adrienn Nyírády, Director
The Centre is the focal point of European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction - EMCDDA, Lisbon, Portugal, and Reitox has operated within its frame. The National Focal Point is its member in accordance with the referred standpoint.
As national centre of EU network of drug monitoring the National Focal Point collects, processes and provides data from other institutes for detection, management and solution of drug problem for national and international organisations.

(4) 2nd Department of Bacteriology

National Reference Laboratory for Identification of Dangerous Pathogens
Head: Dr. Mária Herpay, Head of Department
According to an international tender, in addition to the available identification methods the so-called combinatorial PCR method for the detection of Brucella strains was adapted that supports the simple, reliable detection of B. abortus, B. melitensis, B. canis and B. abortus, B. melitensis, B. canis strains in common space of reaction.

Participation in international working committees

(1) 1st Department of Bacteriology

Committee: European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System EARSS (National Institute of Public Health and Environment, Bilthoven, Netherlands).
Planned duration: Continuous
Participant: Ákos Tóth, Molecular Biologist
Topic: Monitoring of changes of antibiotic resistance in EU MSs.

(2) Department for QC of Viral Vaccines

• Committee: European Directorate for Quality of Medicines (EDQM), Official Control Authority Batch Release (OCABR), Official Medicines Control Laboratories (OMCL)
  Topic: Authority batch release of immunological products
  Participants: Dr. Zsuzsanna Pauliny, Head of Department; Dr. Kálmán Bartha Ph.D., Biologist
  Results: They joined the organisation (OMCL) including EU MSs, and collaborated in the development of international methods, standardization of tests, and national quality assurance. They participated at the annual evaluating meeting.
  
• Committee: European Medicines Agency, (EMEA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, (CHMP) Vaccine Working Party, (VWP)
  Topic: Preparation of recommendation on the use of vaccines.
  Participant: Dr. Kálmán Bartha Ph.D., Biologist
  Results: The use and application of Committees guidelines in the national batch release.

(3) Department of Mycology

Committee: European Confederation of Medical Mycology.
Participant: Dr. Judit Zala, Head of Department, Coordinator of Histoplasmosis epidemiological group of ECMM.

(4) Department of Epidemiology

Committee: Committee of the Network for the Epidemiological Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases (ESCON), Europeaen Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) Advisory Forum

7. Financing

Resources available for NCE were provided by the state budget and contractual works (total sum is about HUF 1 billion and 801 millions). Table 13 presents data and actual expenses in details.
The costs of refurbishing of buildings were about HUF 10.395 millions, and HUF 71.970 millions covered the costs of new equipment purchases.
The applied method of management frame had a positive influence on the financial situation of the Center providing the continuous control of costs.
All the tasks and responsibilities defined in the Deed of Foundation were performed, and the costs of compulsory basic tasks were covered from the income of contractual and administrative services.
The permitted number of staff was 247.
The chemicals and diagnostics constituted the highest costs (net HUF 137 millions).
A support of HUF 50 millions was received for the operation of Laboratory BSL 3-4. In addition to payments for maintenance and validation, chemicals and diagnostics needed for tests, protective clothing were purchased.
Essential maintenance of building was only performed in the Animal House to ensure the highly sterile environment needed for the tests performed within the frame of GSK contract. Currently, 12 animal rooms, a cage-washer and a three-part MWG unit meet the up to date conditions.
All the tasks of production were performed efficiently and on a high level. The required media, sera, nutrition liquids were sold at cost for the Regional Institutes of NPHMOS.
The planned income of the Center could be realized only in 77 per cent (HUF 812 millions), however, all the efforts made by the management and staff of NCE.